


Chapter Three (Blood Work)

by Erza_Boysenberry



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-05-01 17:23:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19182367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erza_Boysenberry/pseuds/Erza_Boysenberry
Summary: Korea was notably the most rebellious colony in Japan’s empire, while Taiwan was the most obedient; this was, of course, because of the way they treated them was drastically different. But both could agree that no matter anyway you slice it life under Japan’s rule had good and bad points, the pros were mostly modernization, and the cons pretty much freedom to decide what you want for your country, as well as getting treated like second class to third class citizens.





	Chapter Three (Blood Work)

"We can probably drown the fire with that bucket if we lift it together." North Korea said breaking the still silence of watching their clothes go up in flames, then turning to ash. South Korea nodded in agreement, trying her best to roll up her sleeves for it to only fall back into place. North Korea giving a chuckle at her Sister's expense, South Korea sighing in annoyance. Before they both took the large bucket hand in hand, filling it with water via a nearby water pump, pouring the huge bucket over the fire drowning the flames. Clouds of steam sizzled up in loud ear piercing hisses as dying embers mixed in with the wet soil, both not wanting to admit they were stalling for time.

"What should we do with our clothes?" South Korea asked motioning towards a burnt pile of ash that could hardly be called anything.

"Nothing! Let's leave something for him to clean." North Korea responded, flashing a toothy grin on her face, to which South Korea flicked her Sister's head rolling her eyes at her impulsive behavior. A playful, bubbly atmosphere surrounding them soon to be popped as they entered the looming house. Loud creaks from the old wood floors followed them as they made their way from hallway to hallway. A bleak imposing atmosphere clinging to the humid summer air, cicadas muffling their words as they conversed as they came to a crossroads in the hall. [1]

"Guess it splits here..." North Korea mumbled quietly, the creaking sound of the wooden floors stopping with their movements as they looked at the long, daunting hallways with unsure eyes. 

"Whatever happens promise to tell me later," South Korea whispered back, squeezing North Korea's hand reassuringly.

"What for?" North Korea asked, confused as to why anyone would want to hear about such an uncertain fate much less from a person they care about. It was her job as the older one to make the sacrifice, so why did her little Sister want to know the sinister details?

"You always keep secrets from me when we're in this together! So please tell me everything about your day I only care... Other than that, I do have more of a reason than your honesty." South Korea whispered, showing three small muted grey books with a pencil tucked under a string binding it together. Hiding it back in the robe of her kimono, which was surprisingly big enough to fit the small books without having it be noticed on first glance. "I remember receiving this from one of our envoys in China, I never thought I'd find a use for them since my stubbornness of scrolls, but I think this is a perfect time to try it out." [2] South Korea recalled looking down at the floor, lacking the confidence to indeed be proud of her plan. 

North Korea gave a big grin at her Sister's mischief exclaiming "Brilliant!" to the hushes of South Korea to which North Korea whispered quieter this time "brilliant" leaving a smile on both sisters while cicadas muffled their light laughter. As their laughter died down, North Korea gave her Sister a grin, squeezing her hand tight before letting it go. Making her way down the hallway as South Korea waved back walking down the other hallway her eyes bittersweet, both unsure of what's to come but both had a plan. But oh so curious South Korea waited for a good two minutes before shadowing North Korea to make sure she would be okay, reasoning with herself it was her duty as her Sister. Following her down a long winding hallway that led to a door, staircase, a metal waiting room and finally Japan's office. South Korea hiding behind the door, all she needed to do was wait for the door to close, and she would be in the clear.

"Close the door, sound travels fast," Japan demanded his voice sounding like a roar in the metal waiting room, sound travels fast no kidding. North Korea begrudgingly shut the door close, South Korea peaking from a window that hid her well and could also let her hear and see what was happening. 

"Sit" Japan commanded, pointing to a chair facing the front of his desk that seemed height wise to be lower. 

"What do you want?" North Korea responded in Korean just crossing her arms nonchalantly, worry growing in South Korea's sharp jet black eyes, knowing full well that this was a room full of eggshells and she was stepping on all of them. Japan just sighed rolling his eyes, throwing his bayonet at one of North Korea's ankles, causing her to fall to the ground, blood decorating the pine wood floors the puddle turning into a pool. North Korea grabbing her heel, applying as much pressure as she could muster her arms weak from blood loss, South Korea's eyes were growing wide. She wanted with all her heart to look away but the sight of her Sister's paler by the second face scared her stiff from movement.

A roll of bandages and antiseptic above North Korea's head just out of reach, "You can have this if you sit down" Japan commanded her as if she was some stray mutt.

"Why would I want your help" North Korea responded spitting her slurred words out as if they were poisonous, the grip on her ankle loosening by the second.

"Becuase without this, you will simply pass out from the blood loss, and I won't be as gracious when you wake up. That was a major artery I cut so be good property and sit down in the chair." Japan demanded cool as a cucumber as he looked at his watch, she had around half a minute before fainting, this new information brought a smirk to his face as he watched her stumble up. Stumbling turned to a limp, which then turned into just jumping on the chair with the little strength she had, Japan now dropped the bandages and antiseptic on her lap. Laughing at North Korea's muffled yelps at the antiseptic on her raw wound now using the best of her strength to tie it. South Korea eyes managed to close shut, no way was she going to see her Sister in such a state. But oh could she hear that disgustingly smug voice humiliate her Sister as if it was second nature. 

"Never forget I own you, I control you, be it your pain, emotions, words, and body. I decided it all, but I still think you don't understand." North Korea's eyes grew wide at Japan's remark as he unsheathed his katana, sending an efficient slice through her breast, the chunk of flesh dropping to the ground in a sickening plop. The thick smell of iron spread throughout the room with North Korea's blood, South Korea's eyes were wide open from silencing her gags at the smell. The image she saw stained her mind as everything froze in time just to make her see every detail, Japan's sinister voice making her almost fall back in fear when it came booming in her ears. "Oh come on there wasn't even much to cut off in the first place. But I guess I better tell you the reason you were called here in the first place. It's because you're now a soldier in my army..." South Korea didn't hear the rest of what Japan had said, she was running, running from the nauseating smell, the sickening voice, and the cold dead fear clear as day in the eyes of her Sister. 

Sounds of deep agonizing creaks followed her down the hallway, allowing herself to collapse on the floor, she realized then she was gasping for air. After minutes of sucking breath and coughing, the adrenaline switch to guilt, she had just left her Sister in the time she needed her most. "T-There was nothing I could do! I'm powerless!" she reasoned with herself, but then a voice in her head simply stated something that punched her in the gut. "Sister would have jumped in even if she got us both killed." But she wasn't her sister, she wasn't brave, and she definitely wasn't strong, she was just a timid, scared little girl of physicality of 14 years old, who always was too cautious about taking any action at all.

After suppressing everything down, wiping her tears, and making sure to breathe normally as possible, she reached her destination. Gently opening the door to the kitchen closing it behind, Taiwan lunged at her faster then South Korea could turn her head, glomping the uncomfortably red South Korea with glimmers of excitement in her eyes. "After years of serving him, I finally have an equal! Oh, I had to wait for him to leave, but he's gone now, and we can talk!" [3] Taiwan exclaimed Cantonese flying out, jumping up and down in the air, her eyes gleaming wide with excitement, each word quenching a long hungry silence. Such a ravenous craving for words was something that hermit South Korea couldn't ever comprehend, she had always had her Sister to talk to and well only her Sister to speak to. Feelings of panic layered her previous guilt smothered her more than the hug itself, Taiwan only subconsciously tightening the grip of the bashful red that was South Korea's face. South Korea was only used to hugs from her sister, she wasn't sure how to feel about a hug from a total stranger, was this some sort of punishment?

"I would appreciate some air if it's not too much to ask," South Korea mumbled her Cantonese making the situation just that touch more awkward. Taiwan putting her hands over her mouth in realization, letting the girl fall to the floor. South Korea now sitting down on her knees she took a deep sigh before cantering. "Shouldn't we be a little quiet? Can't Japan hear us?" South Korea getting up from the floor, dusting herself off, her fight or flight senses more heightened than she would like to admit to having.

Getting over the initial awkwardness, Taiwan just shook her head "His office is it's own world, with such long hallways and thick walls, not to mention it's underground. You could honestly yell at the top of your lungs, and he wouldn't even sense you." Taiwan answered quieter this time but just as cheerful, awkwardly punching South Korea's shoulder as a senior would trying to break in a newbie. 

"T-Thank you, um what are our duties," South Korea asked, rubbing her shoulder defensively, taking the slightest step back from her. Eliciting a nervous grin from Taiwan before answering

"Oh yes that, mostly we clean the house and do the cooking, but once a week we do have to tend the garden. "Shall we get started?" Taiwan answered rearing her eyes towards a nearby window in embarrassment, she just wanted to make a good impression on the Korean, but she felt as if she was rubbing her the wrong way. Was it her overeager attitude that made them uncomfortable? Well, little did she know South Korea was like a shaken soda can, and Taiwan was the poor soul unknowingly opening it. Either way South Korea just meekly nodded as Taiwan handed her some gloves, South Korea washing and Taiwan drying the dishes. Taiwan occasionally asking questions every now and then to the notably tense South Korea who merely nodded, for fear her shaky voice would betray her calm demeanor. Hands so tightly clenched that she could almost break the cup she was washing at any moment, sad deafening silence spread through the room. Taiwan thought they should have filled the room with buzzing conversion by now. So Taiwan at one last attempt made some conversation "Look, I know how you feel, my first day was-" 

Clang went the cup South Korea held, the water flowing over the bowl like tears from her face as she interjected. "Cruel!? Frightening!? Sullen!? Disheartening!? Violent!? Humiliating!? Because that's how today is like!" Each word out of her mouth was a shaky dagger getting more and more panicked than the last. "My Sister is doomed! And guess what I can't do anything about! Don't forget the fact that her fate is in the hands of a monster! She snapped "She said she was gonna be okay but guess whos' wrong?!" South Korea continued to exclaim with her gloved hands covering her teary-wet face, soap bubbles caught in the spikes of her hair. 

"At least you have someone to worry over..." Taiwan mumbled bringing South Korea to a halt, finding herself she turned her attention to Taiwan as she continued...

"I don't know how things are going to turn out... Life as an island gave me my fair share of colonizers, at least Japan was one of the only people who really invested in me. People have formal education, cash crops are doing well, things are just safer in general. Sure it was all for his own gain, but it's not like there weren't any benefits for me either. I'm not telling you to worship him, but if you become what he wants you to be, you won't get hurt, your sister is reckless, but you must be reasonable enough to understand right? Just keep your true self hidden where no one can take it and do what they want to it." [4] Taiwan whispered gently rubbing South Korea's back to calm her down believing she was crying, but oddly enough, she was laughing. "Hey a-are you okay?!" Taiwan asked concerned taking a step back from the giggling mess that was South Korea.

"No! What does any of this make you think I'm or we're okay?! We're in the hands of a demon with my sister sent to their underworld. But instead of agreeing with how wrong this is, you want me to live in the underworld. Let's not forget I have the worst possibility imaginable stained in my brain. And oh great I also got bubbles in my hair," South Korea answered through laughs pointing at some bubbles stuck to her spiky black hair. Taiwan's eyes widening and taken aback at the scene before her, how much would one see for this to be at the point to which they break? But Taiwan calmly sighed and slapped her clean across the face, South Korea's laughter coming to a screeching halt.

"Stop it! This is only the beginning, I don't know what caused you to break so early but don't let this end now! Plus I never told you to live in the "underworld" or whatever stupid metaphor your using. I just wanted an equal I can talk to without being afraid for my life, but even that's too much to ask!" Taiwan shouted South Korea silent with shock before blubbering in tears her apologies, Taiwan sighed before wrapping her in a gentler hug shushing her "Shh it's okay, it can always get worse right? Have we truly hit rock bottom?" Taiwan cooed 

"N-No?" South Korea her voice wobbly asked, 

Taiwan nodding with a smile "That's right, though I don't know you that well I would like to. I haven't really talked to many people besides the colonizers, much less any equals so don't expect much but let's survive this mess together all right?" Taiwan asked. While this girl wasn't what she had imagined, she didn't mind her when she wasn't laughing. South Korea noded back, feeling more comfortable than before while she couldn't tell her everything. She could still be there for her like she would be in return, "So this is what friendship was," South Korea thought she only had a Sister and aggressors but not a friend. Friends were not bonded by blood so you couldn't really be close, but you could get pretty close, and she liked that. 

When night came Taiwan showed her to the two Korea's quarters, the room was what you would expect Japan would give to the people he thought of as insects, an insulting bare minimum. But South Korea wished Taiwan good night and found a corner of less dust and cobwebs, and began to write. This was her protest to Japan, a page each day is written in Hangul that expressed her deep hatred of the man. [5] Each word picking him apart just a tad bit more, South Korea figured in two years it would be enough to tear him to dust. As she put the books under a nearby floor plank, North Korea stumbled in the room with her clothes soaked a shocking crimson red the edges of her sleeves an ugly crusty brown. North Korea collapsing into South Korea arms, South Korea now spotting the cause, the bandages around her chest were barely tied, she must have been leaking blood all day long. North Korea gave a sharp wince as South Korea tightened the bandages properly. "This should stop the bleeding, but enough about that, are you okay?" South Korea asked, filled with fear at the answer she didn't stay to hear earlier.

"He says soldiers can't be girls, so he will cut off what makes me feminine till my body molds into what he wants." [6] As those words left North Korea, tears fell from South Korea's eyes in eerie silence. The guilt that had been eating at her before came back stronger than ever, tears growing larger and larger. Sure there was cross-dressing, and all but this was way more severe than a change of clothes, this was changing someone's identity with on a whim, and it was all her fault she thought, this could have at least been prolonged... "Hey don't cry, why don't you practice your singing by this time? You wouldn't want you to miss practice." North Korea consoled attempting to give her sister's hand a light squeeze, to which South Korea nodded taking a deep breath before humming. Sister was right, she needed to practice her scales after all. Who would want to come bloody and identityless to a crying whiny sister?

Despite the shaky start, the melody grew angelic and airy, with such an effortless way to it, if only she would sing the words, North Korea would then believe it was truly perfect. Well, that and how South Korea hadn't been singing pansori since the '20s, being so focused on this western way of singing. [7] But alas she knew her Sister would never inadvertently sing Korean lyrics in this house and pansori was too risky to test in her sister's mind. So North Korea would have to just sway to the melodies which she had no problem doing. Especially since in the old days she was the one playing the music for South Korea, though that wouldn't be happening anytime soon, so she just tapped the floor. The sounds taps and angelic vocals filled the room and hallways giving Taiwan a smile as she heard it, the noise slowly coming to a stop as the two Korean sisters fell asleep.

 

[1] In Japan cicadas can be seen singing their tunes every summer, because of this it has become a known sound of when summer has come

[2] The western pencil existed in East Asia in the 1900s, it's a little dotty since research won't give me a specific date, but in the 1920s there was a substantial western wave in Korea so what's to say pencils didn't slip in. 

[3] Taiwan was Japan's first colony in its imperial days being under their rule from 1895-1945

[4] Taiwan was objectively treated better than the rest of the other colors since this was Japan's chance to prove to the world how great of a colonizer they were. Cash crops such as sugar canes did well, streets were safer than before, and formal education sure it was Japanese and full of propaganda but it's school. That's not to say Korea didn't have benefits either, they experienced substantial modernization, and an influx of western goods sure again everything went to Japan, but to everything, there is a bright side.

[5] Hangul was popularized during the Japanese occupation to rebel against Japan

[6] Like pretty much every country in the 30's women weren't allowed to serve in the military, so this was my way of making it fit into the period

[7] Starting in the 20's Korea experienced a massive wave of western goods such as clothes, music, books, etc


End file.
